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Football Stadium DigestFootball Stadium Digest covers major stories and events in the planning, construction and operations of NCAA and professional NFL football stadiums across the United States and Canada.

Georgia State Stadium to Host Football Debut on August 31

Georgia State University has announced some details about its debut season at Georgia State Stadium, including its opener on August 31.

Starting with the 2017 college football season, the Georgia State Panthers will take over the former Turner Field, which the university is now referring to as Georgia State Stadium. The move to Turner Field will be the first step toward a much larger plan in the area, which will include mixed-use amenities and a baseball field on the former site of Atlanta-Fulton County Stadium.

For the debut season at Georgia State Stadium, the Panthers will play six home games. Their first will come on August 31, when they square off against Tennessee State.

“We are excited to be able to open the new home of Georgia State football on Aug. 31,” director of athletics Charlie Cobb said in a statement. “We also look forward to our season ticket holders being able to get a first-hand glimpse of where they will sit later this year.”

Over the next several years, the facility–which was originally constructed for the 1996 Olympics and then hosted Major League Baseball’s Atlanta Braves from 1997-2016–will be gradually converted into a football stadium. As part of the plan, the seating capacity will be reduced to create a more intimate facility.

The Panthers have played the last several seasons at the Georgia Dome, the former home of the NFL’s Atlanta Falcons that is slated to be demolished later this year. More information about the team’s first season at Georgia State Stadium can be seen here.